Pantry Packs

Pantry Packs has resumed providing packs to schools
Volunteer drivers transport packs to each school, and school personnel distribute them to students on their own schedule. Food donations have resumed. Small group packing events are still suspended due to COVID-19. Visit our Updates Page for details.

LWSD is still providing free meals to children 1-18 at their many meal sites, including weekend meals.

Pantry Packs Fruit & Nut Food Drive!

We need your help to support LWSD students!
What are we looking for?

Trail Mix / Nuts / Jerky
To-Go Size Peanut Butter in Cups / Pouches (no jars)
Protein Bars (with at least 7g protein)
Fruit & Veg Cups (no foil lids) / Cans / Pouches

**Please make sure all are in individual packets with expiration dates of at least 3 months out**

When can you drop off the food items? March 10, March 13, March 17 and March 20 between 12pm and 2pm.

Donations can be dropped off at 14816 NE 95th Street - Bldg 6 in Redmond, WA 98052. Donations will only be accepted during the above drop-off times. Please do not leave donations unattended.

Can't make it in person? No problem! Donate food directly to Pantry Packs via our Amazon Wishlist here.

Thank you for helping us feed kids across the Lake Washington School District!

ONGOING PROGRAM UPDATES DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK ARE NOW POSTED ON OUR UPDATES PAGE. Check them out for more details about our current operational changes.

Pantry Packs powered by the Lake Washington Schools Foundation provides weekend food packs for Food-insecure LWSD students each week

When kids don’t get enough to eat, they can’t concentrate and they can’t learn. Teachers tell of students excited to be at school on Mondays because they can eat there through federal programs. But these same children in the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) often go hungry on weekends or during school breaks.

With community donations of time, funds and kid-friendly food, volunteers come together each month to “pack the packs.” Volunteer drivers then deliver the packs to more than 43 participating schools, and each week school coordinators distribute the packs to hungry children in preschool through high school. Throughout the school year, Pantry Packs demonstrates how volunteers, schools and the community work together to help children in our area. For more information, email PantryPacks@lwsf.org.

YOU CAN HELP!

DO YOU KNOW A CHILD WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM ADDITIONAL WEEKEND FOOD? Talk to your school's designated Pantry Packs coordinator, or review the Pantry Packs FAQs.
FOOD DONATIONS:
Pantry Packs is in need of a lot of kid-friendly meal and snack items. You can donate directly via our Amazon Wish List. You can also organize a food drive for just one food or many from our kid-friendly food items list (please note that none of these items are perishable foods because we cannot safely store or distribute those). We have a planning checklist with more information, and our Food Drive Coordinator is available to help you organize your food drive. For more information, email FoodDrives@lwsf.org. Enhance your promotional posts with this fun food donation video spot below produced pro bono by Alisa Prinos Videography! [use this video link to share]

PACK THE PACKS:
Join other volunteers in assembling Pantry Packs, or at a prepping event to unpack food. Bring a friend. Bring your middle and high schoolers for community service hours. Bring a PTA/PTSA. Bring a scout troop. Bring a school honors club. Student volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a participating adult, and all volunteers must sign up online to participate. Check the Packing & Prep Event Instructions to sign up; note that due to Covid restrictions, we're limited in the number of volunteers per packing party (5), and these opportunities fill up quickly. Submit the Volunteer Notification Form to be notified of future volunteer opportunities as they arise.

Girl Scout volunteering at a Packing Party. (Young Reflections Photography, 2016).

DONATE FUNDS FOR BULK FOOD PURCHASES:

We welcome the donation of funds to purchase the food we need at the best possible price. Please click the donation button to make a donation or mail a check written to "LWSF-Pantry Packs" to:
Lake Washington Schools Foundation
PO Box 83, Redmond, WA 98073
Remember that your donations may be matched by your employer. And consider making a recurring donation...because hunger is recurring!

Each $6 per month buys a single pack of food for a LWSD student.
$24 per month sponsors a single student’s monthly supply of packs.

DONATE FOOD DIRECTLY TO PANTRY PACKS VIA OUR AMAZON WISH LIST:

Simply order the food items you wish to donate and your order will be shipped directly to Lake Washington Schools Foundation and designated for Pantry Pack’s use! Some items even have an optional “subscribe and save” option to set a recurring donation. Remember to include your name and email address in the "note" so that we can properly record your donation and issue you a receipt.

When a community comes together, its members can solve the most pressing problems. Join us to solve student hunger in the Lake Washington School District.

ADDITIONAL PANTRY PACKS RESOURCES: